When Music Leads, Your Career Grows

00:00:00: Hello and welcome to the Inner Take podcast.

00:00:11: My name is Ramon Gardela, I'm your host.

00:00:14: The Inner Take is a podcast for musicians A space to talk about what happens inside us when we make music... ...the thoughts & feelings that shape how we play.

00:00:36: So if you are a musician stay right there.

00:00:39: Welcome to the inner take.

00:00:41: let's begin.

00:00:52: Hello everybody, welcome today.

00:00:55: not a podcast episode number ten.

00:00:58: I'm so excited ten weeks with the inner-take podcast every Sunday and I am so happy to be here talking and I would like thank you for being there, listening to the Inner Tech podcast.

00:01:11: And something that could really great...and i'm asking you as a favor right now is share this podcast with someone who might need it.

00:01:18: send your musician friends artist or simple do some one thing good.

00:01:22: benefit from hearing these before start thinking who needs this?

00:01:26: Who should I send it too?

00:01:28: Who needs hear something like this?

00:01:30: if are?

00:01:30: think in who has stage fright or struggles.

00:01:33: forget all these things and let me tell you something that will make everything much easier.

00:01:39: Everyone, absolutely everyone goes through more or less the same thing just with different details in context And I'm talking about relationships, I am talking about doubts how we talk to ourselves and many more.

00:01:51: So these emotions and behaviors are present in all of us.

00:01:55: so this podcast might help a musician friend or maybe someone you know who works i don't know in an office and things they'll never get a better job... ...and keeps comparing themselves to their co-workers saying everyone is better than me?

00:02:07: I dunno!

00:02:08: Anyway sharing this podcast it's very deep wish.. ..I have and I'd really appreciate your help.

00:02:14: thank you so much.

00:02:15: So we start episode number nine today.

00:02:18: In the previous episode, We talked about a fundamental difference between making music and building a career in Music.

00:02:25: And if you haven't listened to it yet I invite You do so.

00:02:28: If you didn't Do It or if you did Here's A Short Summary.

00:02:33: Making music is that moment when you connect with your instrument on what you want to play To express yourself, to express Your inner world...to express your life.

00:02:42: But when the child or young person who started making music continues to make it and goes into a teacher then A possible problem begins because now they are playing for someone else.

00:02:54: Someone will judge how do I play?

00:02:56: And give a verdict.

00:02:58: from this moment on more and more as musician advances in their career They start playing others seeking approval wanting to be accepted.

00:03:09: So in the end they put their music, their art and life at the service of others.

00:03:14: And forget making music is something else...something different Something closer to how it started.

00:03:20: A child sound The fascination with that sound.

00:03:25: That's where music is!

00:03:27: Not understanding this difference between making music and building a career in music Is serious problem we all have I say because i didn't understand myself.

00:03:38: And this creates a lot of guilt and suffering because if we don't see it clearly, We end up becoming what others want us to be.

00:03:46: For example If I didn´t get the scholarship that i applied for This means im bad artist or I did not win the orchestra position so Im terrible musician Or I didnt play well in my lessons So Im not good at this.

00:04:01: But none has do with making music.

00:04:04: It just needs with what others decide about my playing.

00:04:09: And this is so important to understand before we continue.

00:04:13: For me, having a career it's very important and not only music or art but in any profession.

00:04:19: being able to leave from What We Love Is one of the greatest successes In life especially todays world.

00:04:25: Being part of ensembles orchestras Playing more complex music More professional environments That something very good that something Very challenging and very rewarding.

00:04:36: The problem is when building a career becomes the main driver of your musical life.

00:04:42: So, when the only thing you want Is to move forward in your career and You do everything others expect from you To achieve that And maybe you're not aware Of this Maybe...you've never thought about it But That's why I'm making This podcast and telling It right now!

00:05:00: Not Only musically but also socially stories about spending time talking to the right person or saying certain things, to be accepted.

00:05:10: Or hiding parts of yourself because you know others won't agree.

00:05:14: in that situation where is the music?

00:05:17: Where's the moment of connecting what... What do want to express?

00:05:20: Where are YOU?

00:05:22: and like everything in adult life we need to find a balance between music and career.

00:05:28: We won't both but in a way that doesn't make us suffer and allows to keep our integrity.

00:05:34: So sounds very easy, But it's very complicated.

00:05:39: so let's start looking at this idea.

00:05:41: It is impossible To play for music And for build a career At the same time.

00:05:46: I'll say again...it is impossible to Play For Music And for Build A Career At The Same Time.

00:05:53: Because we play for Music to connect with what We want to express through sound We play for a career so that others approve us and we can move forward.

00:06:04: So you cannot do both at the same time, it's pretty clear but You CAN build a healthy relationship between them Because making music and building a career are not contradictory.

00:06:19: And here how is works?

00:06:20: let me tell you this if a musician can't build a career That allows him to live from Music something probably needs to be reviewed.

00:06:29: And often the problem is that they are playing for career and not from music, so it's healthy!

00:06:35: That a musician has a career build a career... ...and can live from Music.

00:06:41: The question we'll guide this topic today will be why do we play?

00:06:49: This question isn't about results like winning an audition but its' about intention.

00:06:55: What is your real intention when you play?

00:06:58: And that's not easy to answer.

00:07:00: This is the kind of question we tend to avoid because We don't know the answer and we don't want to keep thinking the answer, Because it sounds very complicated for us.

00:07:10: So let the questions stay with you.

00:07:13: maybe as long this podcast takes Maybe the answer takes weeks, six months or even years.

00:07:23: Even your whole life!

00:07:24: Your entire career to answer.

00:07:26: why are you playing what for?

00:07:29: So if this question stays with you little by little You start to see am I playing to connect With my musical essence... ...with my source.. with my live.

00:07:40: Or Am i playing To get a job?

00:07:43: ..to pass an exam , to be hired or not to be fired?

00:07:47: so we should ask ourselves this question every time we pick our instruments or we pick out our pencil to compose something because We always make music for something and if you're not aware of that Something, we end up chasing goals.

00:08:02: That don't really matter To us And this is not only making music in life.

00:08:06: If you don't know why are doing this?

00:08:08: Some thing You maybe you're doing it and you don' t know.

00:08:12: Why do I need sick four goals that arenot what you want?

00:08:17: So let me clear.

00:08:19: Why are we playing?

00:08:20: What is our intention?

00:08:21: when everything would do?

00:08:23: it's only for a career.

00:08:24: We start to feel very empty in your musical experience, but When we change the focus back to music something Very interesting happens will reconnect with ourselves.

00:08:35: so we start express again.

00:08:37: The love from music comes back.

00:08:40: and what happens today?

00:08:41: career?

00:08:41: then It disappear.

00:08:43: no it actually grows.

00:08:46: And here is the key idea, and please pay attention.

00:08:50: Your career grows when you stop focusing on your career.

00:08:56: Sounds tricky in contradictory but it's like this... The second sentence explains why I'm saying these.

00:09:04: Music is to cause.

00:09:06: Career is a consequence.

00:09:08: When music is to cost ...your intention Your energy, your intention and focus are on expression.

00:09:15: On connecting with the music and life through it.

00:09:19: And having a career as consequence doesn't mean you don't care about that.

00:09:24: Of course we do!

00:09:25: We really do care about careers.

00:09:26: You want better opportunities, collaborations or income But YOU DON'T MOVE for that.

00:09:33: You don't spend everything chasing directly.

00:09:37: And of course this movement does not only happen in the moment of performance but fundamentally, in daily practice and consequently every moment when the musician makes contact with their instrument.

00:09:47: So that way the healthiest musician moves forward through or towards a musical act is because they are moving.

00:09:55: On the other hand having career as consequence for them doesn't mean it's not interesting to grow into their careers.

00:10:06: And therefore, they are interested in playing better places with better orchestras or chords.

00:10:11: With their colleagues and obtain greater financial compensation for the work.

00:10:15: only that they do not move so that this happens.

00:10:20: That is... They don't spend energy.

00:10:23: So these happen Or they spent almost no energy.

00:10:27: When musicians forget their musical essence and focus ONLY on career they expect their achievements in career, to give them a deep sense of fulfillment.

00:10:37: But that fulfillment should come from music itself and that's why we often see successful musicians in very successful orchestras on ensembles who still feel empty and frustrated.

00:10:49: And now I want to give you a real example for myself.

00:10:54: This was the key for me to understand that focusing on my music could increase my career.

00:11:02: and it really did, It really happened.

00:11:04: This was a couple of years ago.

00:11:06: I was playing with an ensemble at concert in the park.

00:11:09: There were beautiful summer afternoons when we were playing.

00:11:14: there were different stations And musicians rotated.

00:11:17: So you played on the station then went to another one where there are duos trios and solos.

00:11:23: At that moment something went wrong.

00:11:26: I should be playing with a colleague, and the colleague was not there.

00:11:31: And people were waiting because they were moving through the park looking for those who are listening to music.

00:11:38: So i ended up alone!

00:11:40: And said ok...I have to play something..and had a snare drum, a cymbal and good block ..And then knew that it would take like ten or fifteen minutes if my colleague didn't appear.

00:11:52: instead of thinking how to use all this instrument.

00:11:55: I decided to explore an idea i had and this is playing with just one instrument, and discovering all these sound possibilities.

00:12:03: so i took the good block And i started improvising.

00:12:07: With one hand i kept a steady rhythm... ...and with another i changed the sound.

00:12:11: So i had small metal piece on my index finger.. ..and it was hitting the goodblock non-stop.... ....and with left hand it was changing the sounds.

00:12:21: And for me, it was like a journey because It was the first time I was doing this.

00:12:26: i had the idea to do This but...it Was The First Time There when I did it and I discovered the sounds!

00:12:32: I didn't even know they existed..and it started To Be Like A Game Because I found things that are They Are Found Interesting and I Stayed there and some other Things That Appear Some Other Sounds.

00:12:43: I-I-I Didn'T Play It Anymore.

00:12:47: so this was like I was exploring this, and it took like i think twenty minutes.

00:12:52: And really me looking down at the good block you know if not don't know what a good block is?

00:12:57: It's very small instrument.

00:12:59: so...it's a good instrument!

00:13:02: After that concert two people came to me and said oh what was this piece you play on a good

00:13:08: blog?!

00:13:09: The best thing we heard today.

00:13:10: and they added You were completely inside of what you are doing Like in another world!

00:13:17: Well, this was an improvisation about an idea I had.

00:13:20: This wasn't a piece and later... ...I found out there were musicians and composers these two guys who approached me And they told me you really should develop that because it's already a piece.

00:13:32: You really have a piece there.

00:13:34: So i did!

00:13:35: Then i composed the piece called Good Block One.

00:13:40: The process was very fun.

00:13:42: It was amazing Because.. ..i was exploring recording, shaping ideas getting to know these instruments and all the possibilities it has.

00:13:52: And I did work!

00:13:54: I said okay how many musical possibilities does this instrument have?

00:13:58: What can i do with this

00:13:59: instrument?".

00:13:59: You start in your journey to explore into you know...I was playing and then ok just spent thirty minutes playing and didn't even realize that these thirty minutes are gone.

00:14:11: This feeling when time goes so fast means having really fun and this is a good thing.

00:14:18: So, later on when the piece was ready I recorded it.

00:14:23: one of these guys who talked to me there invited me to play solo concert in a city in Germany in Bremen.

00:14:31: It was paid concert And i had chance to perform his piece along with another solo pieces.

00:14:37: so it's also a solo concert for me.

00:14:40: That experience showed something very clear When you focus your music your career moves forward naturally, and what I talked a couple of minutes ago.

00:14:51: The music is the cause you move because of the music... ...because sound, exploring, composing or playing And that's why it's a consequence!

00:15:01: The more we connect to this, creating new things and playing our own music.. ..the more the world gets it and receives them.

00:15:10: You reconnect with yourself because this exploration was not for others, it's...was for me.

00:15:16: So you reconnect with your music and what the things have to say.

00:15:20: but for me making a piece of good block just repeating one pattern And I was like no i need do something else With more instruments or more complicated Or..I don't know!

00:15:31: I was myself I put in down saying that is not worthy But It Was Every time I play that piece, because i played it three or four times in solo concerts.

00:15:42: It still feels like a game.

00:15:45: and the second before we start... Okay let's see what this instrument gives me today!

00:15:51: And for me is such nice feeling to have before you play.

00:15:56: so to finish.. What is that project, the music you love but don't do because it doesn't fit your career?

00:16:05: I don't know.

00:16:06: Maybe like improvising playing popular music recording songs composing our own song But to study in a conservatory where there's no space for that.

00:16:15: i invite You think about It Because The part of you That are hiding Is exactly what make you visible To others and help Your career grow.

00:16:27: So the more you connect with that part of yourself, The more your career will move forward.

00:16:34: This project will take you forward.

00:16:37: I'll leave it to think about.

00:16:43: If something in this episode resonated With You i invite you To Take A Look At Mental Notes.

00:16:48: The link is In The Description.

00:16:50: There You Will Find Texts Videos And Short Resources That Can Help You Explore These Ideas Further and Most Importantly Spaced To Talk About Them.

00:16:59: Thank you for taking the time to listen to me.

00:17:02: See you next time, take care of yourself.